Keeping the Ember in the Land of Freedom

Keeping the Ember in the Land of Freedom

By: Leni Marlina

Beneath the embrace of Nusantara's endless skies,
Freedom sways like a gentle breeze,
Infusing life into rich, fertile soil,
Once soaked in the blood of brave souls.
Mountains stand tall, silent guardians,
Witnesses to the flames of a struggle unquenched,
While rivers weave tales of hope,
Carrying the currents of liberty to the vast embrace of the sea.

We are roots that plunge deep into the earth,
Shielding the trunk of our nation from tempestuous storms,
From tangible foes adorned in new guises,
To the shadowy threats that haunt the digital expanse.

Liberty transcends mere words etched in stone;
It is the ember that flickers fiercely within our chests,
Nurtured against the unseen tides of cyberspace,
We stand resolute, like fortresses against the winds.

In every click, in every flickering screen, dangers lurk,
Colonization sheds its armor,
Slipping in like a whisper through the data streams,
Yet we are the sun that cannot be veiled.

The cerulean waves of Indonesia murmur,
Calling us to remain ever vigilant,
While the emerald forests whisper softly through their leaves,
Reminding us of sacred promises yet to fulfill.

With a resolve that blazes like an eternal fire,
We are the guardians at freedom's gate,
Repelling the shadows that seek to snatch
The noble values wrought by hands of pain.

In this realm, both tangible and ethereal, we stand,
Like mountains unwavering against the fiercest gales,
Nurturing the ember of independence,
Illuminating every corner of our land, dispelling the shadows of oppression.

Padang, Sumbar, 2024

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This poem was originally written in Indonesian by Leni Marlina as part of a personal poetry collection in 2023. It was subsequently edited, translated, and published for the first time in digital media in 2024. The original Indonesian title is "Menjaga Bara di Bumi Merdeka" and can be found at the following links: 

• https://forumsumbar.com/sastra/45603/puisi-leni-marlina-menjaga-bara-di-bumi-merdeka/ 
• https://www.kompasiana.com/lenimarlina_fbsunppadang6936/66dd2aa334777c48f25c2ff2/menjaga-bara-di-bumi-merdeka?utm_source=Whatsapp&utm_medium=Refferal&utm_campaign=Sharing_Mobile

The author is honored to be an active member of the Indonesian writers' association SATU PENA in West Sumatra and to serve as a lecturer at FBS Universitas Negeri Padang. She has the joy of founding and guiding several social communities, including the World Children's Literature Community (WCLC), the POETRY-PEN International Community, the Starmoonsun Eduprenuer Communities, and PPIPM (Indonesian Poetry Reading & Writing Community). She is also grateful to be part of the Victorian Writers and the Hong Kong ACC International Writers Community. Additionally, she offers two English private courses: ECSC (English Children's Literature Course) and MEC (Marvelous English Course), striving to share her passion for literature and learning with others.